Volunteers come to the aid of 261 neglected dogs

Monday

May 31, 2010 at 1:12 AM

WINTER HAVEN - Men and women from all across Central Florida became a bunch of neglected dogs' best friends Sunday.

Approximately 50 volunteers bringing hundreds of pounds of dog food, hundreds of towels, ear wash, cotton-tipped swabs, shampoo and conditioner and many other animal care products met members of the Polk County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Section at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The volunteers, who were on hand as the Animal Control staff doors opened, dropped off donations and then set up wash stations at the secured compound to help clean and feed the 261 malnourished and diseased dogs who were seized Thursday from a Polk City animal rescue shelter.

"This is just another example of the amazing generosity in our community and the neighboring areas," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release. "These volunteers have donated not only resources, but their holiday weekend to help us out. It just doesn't get any better."

Richard Riga, president of Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida, was one of the many volunteers who came Sunday to Animal Control headquarters on De Castro Road, west of Winter Haven.

"We are here for the dogs," Riga said. "We saw the plea for help and knew we could offer our assistance. The dogs needed us."

Riga's group included residents from Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Daytona, West Pam Beach and Lake Mary.

Jack Novoselski, president of Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue, was accompanied to Winter Haven by residents of Tampa, Valrico and Oldsmar.

"Two hundred and sixty-one dogs are a lot of dogs, and you needed help," Novoselski told the Animal Control staff. "We know how overwhelming it gets � We love the dogs, and they don't have to be beagles for us to be here."

Florida Disaster Animal Response Team volunteer Susan Voight said Sunday's effort was all for the love of the dogs.

The DART group offered medical triage services for the dogs and provided two certified veterinary technicians to help assess the dogs' conditions.

"We work hard to prepare for animal emergencies such as with hurricanes," Voight said. "And 261 dogs was an emergency."

The sheriff's Animal Control Section received an anonymous tip Wednesday that dogs were being neglected at Mid-Florida Retriever Rescue Inc., a not-for-profit organization located at 15195 Angus Road in Polk City.

When Animal Control officers and sheriff's deputies investigated, they found dogs that were malnourished, infested with fleas and parasites, and in very poor health. Many of the dogs will require additional medical care.